Spider Vein Treatment

Spider veins, those small clusters of red, blue or purple veins that most commonly appear on the thighs, calves and ankles, but can also appear on the face, bother thousands of women. Today, many plastic surgeons are treating this condition with sclerotherapy, or a combination of sclerotherapy and laser treatments.

What are Spider Veins?

Spider veins, also known as telangiectasias are small, thin veins lying close to the surface of the skin. Although these veins are part of a larger venous system they are not essential. A number of factors can contribute to the development of spider veins including, but not limited to, heredity, pregnancy, weight gain, hormonal shifts and prolonged standing or sitting.

What is Sclerotherapy?

Sclerotherapy can enhance your appearance, but it is unrealistic to believe that every affected vein will disappear completely. After each session the veins will be lighter but it will not happen with only one session. The sessions are about 15 to 45 minutes long, depending on whether Dr. Carli is using only the infection therapy or a combination of injection and laser. The procedure is not extremely painful, but mildly uncomfortable.

Sclerotherapy will be used for the darker more purple veins. With one hand Dr. Carli will stretch the skin and identify the vein, then using a small needle he will inject the sclerosing agent into the affected vein. Once the procedure is completed you will need to wear support stockings on your legs for 3 days, day and night and the area must be out of the sun for a minimum of 3 months.

What is laser vein therapy?

Laser treatment is commonly used in conjunction with Sclerotherapy for the veins on the legs. Laser therapy treats the smaller red veins that may appear on the legs as well as the face. The advancement in laser treatments allows us to deliver a precise dosage of energy to each vein. During the treatment, after eye protection is provided, light energy is delivered through a special handpiece targeted at each vein in a series of brief pulses. The blood vessel but not the surrounding tissue absorbs the energy. It is this heat absorption that causes the coagulation of the blood vessel, which is then absorbed by your body.

How do I know if I need both treatments?

During your consultation with Dr. Carli, your veins will be identified and a treatment plan will be decided. For the leg area, most people have many small, red, "spider veins" and a few larger, darker, purple veins; these conditions will need a combination treatment. For the facial area, normally that is only done with the laser therapy.

How many treatments will I need?

The majority of the vessels may be gone in 1 to 3 treatments, but it is not certain that is all it will take. These treatments will only treat existing veins, not the ones that may appear later on. Therefore, for maximum long-term resolution, additional treatments may be necessary. The treatments are done in 6-week intervals, during which the area must remain out of the sun. Most patients are pleased with the difference sclerotherapy and or laser therapy makes. Many times the area will appear younger, clearer and healthier looking.